The Bachelor of Arts in English gives students opportunities to study the English language in literary, educational, creative, and professional contexts.
Across all concentrations, every English B.A. student will have a shared core of classes and a shared capstone course. Each student will produce a capstone project of professional quality suitable as a writing sample for application to graduate school or part of a professional portfolio for career opportunities.
Concentrations perfect for your passions
The English B.A. has three (3) distinct concentrations–Education, Literature, and Writing–all of which open a direct pathway to a teaching credential in English in the state of California, so English majors get the opportunity to deeply study what they love while preserving multiple career options.
- The Education concentration prepares you to become a teacher of English. In this concentration you’ll get an introduction to creative writing and writing pedagogy to supplement your linguistics and literary study.
- The Literature concentration is perfect for students interested in understanding and analyzing texts from a variety of forms and perspectives. In this concentration, you’ll gain interpretive, analytical, critical thinking, and close reading skills as you delve into the world of literature, literary theory, rhetoric, and writing. These skills equip students for careers in law, college teaching, church, and NGO organizations, even business.
- The Writing concentration is perfect for students interested in creative writing, editing, and engaging with a variety of texts, genres and perspectives. You’ll learn the fundamental components of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, journalism, and professional writing from experienced published faculty. You will also be able to develop your own writing projects in your genre(s) of interest and learn to engage with the larger writing community.
*All English B.A. students are eligible for the 4+1 Writing M.A. Track. More information below.
Experience that translates to career success
In this program, you’ll develop crucial reading, writing, and communication skills needed in many careers. You’ll learn skills to analyze and communicate complex ideas and perspectives, to compose clear and compelling writing, to apply linguistics in writing and tutoring, to create literary analysis, to edit, and to give professional presentations.
You’ll also have numerous opportunities to participate in campus publications, such as Driftwood, the creative arts journal, and The Point, PLNU’s student-led newspaper. Qualified students can also complete an independent honors project of their choice their senior year.
English majors are also encouraged to apply to work as writing consultants in the Loma Writing Center.
Mentorship from experienced faculty
Faculty in PLNU’s Department of Literature, Journalism, Writing and Languages are published writers, book award recipients, and respected literary scholars. Department faculty have received book awards and major national grants, including several from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Fulbright Fellowship Grant, and the Del Amo Foundation.
Faculty writings have been featured in literary journals such as Boulevard, Diagram, Fairy Tale Review, The International Poetry Review, New Letters, The Normal School, Poet Lore, Ruminate, The Rumpus, So to Speak, and Verse Daily; and in periodicals such as The New York Times, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, and Boston Magazine, among others. They’ve distinguished themselves as scholars of topics such as Shakespeare, Milton, post-colonial theory, Emily Bronte, Mary Wollstonecraft, Bram Stoker, the intersection between feminist thought and Christian theology and practice, Flannery O’Connor, and more.
*4+1 Writing, M.A. Track
If you’re considering continuing your education in writing, the 4+1 Writing M.A. track allows you to earn your master’s more quickly than the traditional timeline. This will allow you to start earning graduate-level credits as you complete your upper division baccalaureate courses. Students in the English B.A. program must decide to enroll in the 4+1 track by the end of their sophomore year.
Talk to your academic advisor to find out how you can earn your master’s in writing strategically and efficiently.
